Azure Depths
by Ming-kun
Summary: Mermaid AU! Akihiko is an author. Suffering from writer's block, he is sent by his editor on a fishing trip in the sea to give him inspiration for his latest novel. On that trip he discovers much more than just his source of inspiration- a mysterious emerald-eyed merman gets caught in his net. (Rated M for citrus)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Just started school, so updates won't be regular :( but I will try to update at least one story per week, most likely more. I appreciate reviews/advice/suggestions because I'm pretty new to ff (writing, not reading xD)**

**This is a mermaid...merman...merboy? AU... not sure what to call it. You get the idea :P**

* * *

Akihiko adjusted his tie, inhaling the cool sea breeze. As usual, he wore his formal attire; and again, as usual, it was a completely inappropriate situation for him to be doing so.

He couldn't care less. After he had complained for a while about his lack of inspiration, his editor had finally gotten fed up and sent him on this trip. He didn't mind too much since it meant he didn't have to work, but it was already his second day there and he felt no more or less inspired than before.

Why a fishing trip? The ocean always inspired him, he told others. That was why he always visited the different shores. His editor knew this well and had chosen this spot accordingly.

But little did they all know, there was one driving, ulterior motive behind his visits.

When he was a child, he'd always been averse to large bodies of water. They were dirty, murky, and suffocating. How anything could live in them was beyond his understanding. Yet despite his protests his parents insisted on taking the trip to the beach to celebrate his father Fuyuhiko's ascendance to the head of his company. His older brother Haruhiko, who constantly looked at Akihiko with envious eyes, was privy to this aversion and made good use of it when the parents went off a good distance during tidepooling. He pushed Akihiko off his perch on a slippery, seaweed-covered rock and he fell with a splash into the deep waters below. They had wandered off a good distance from shore by hopping on the angular stones that jutted out of the water, so help was a long time in coming - too long. By the time his parents had heard his gurgling cries, Haruhiko was back on the shore, not realizing his brother was slowly drowning.

Akihiko knew he couldn't swim. So he paddled frantically in the water, trying to grip the slime-covered rocks. But the undertow of the current proved to be too strong for him and he found himself slowly being dragged under. He was barely managing to stay afloat, his head bobbing above and below the waves as he gasped for breath. The undulating waves were too powerful and with all of his inefficient flailing he was quickly growing tired as water filled his mouth. _Am I going to die?_ he thought. _How sad..._

And yet, as his exhausted, stinging eyes were closing a flash of green darted before them and a small wrist grabbed his hand. Shocked, he opened his eyes and saw a face, contorted in concentration and effort. Then his vision grew black and he remembered nothing more. Since then, his aversion to water had turned into a burning determination to find out what secrets it held... but most of all, the owner of those green eyes. He had searched for anyone fitting the description of who he had seen, but to no avail. From then on he had braved that which he initially feared in his search, hoping that the person with the green eyes he had become enraptured with would somehow return to that beach or any other, but his efforts remained fruitless.

Returning to the present, he cast out the net in his small, solo fishing boat and waited for a catch or any sign of movement. When it became clear that there was nothing eventful to happen for a while, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a drag.

The clouds were starting to darken and he looked up as the air became more damp. _Guess I'll have to return empty-handed today,_ he thought with a sigh.

Suddenly, the boat shifted and he noticed a frantic movement in the net. He quickly tried to pull it up, but whatever was in there quickly jerked away and Akihiko nearly lost his grip. He slackened his grip and the force moving the net relaxed slightly. Taking advantage of this he hoisted his catch up with all of his might and with a loud thump the load landed on the deck of his ship.

His violet eyes widened drastically at the sight laid out before him.

He watched in disbelief as a young boy scrambled up before him, clumsily attempting to right himself and untangle himself from the net. But even more unreal was the reason the boy had simply flopped back down onto the deck in defeat, watching Akihiko with fearful eyes.

The entire bottom half of his body was covered in fish scales while his upper body was naked, and where there should have been legs there were fins. Akihiko stared blankly at the creature. _What's that called? A mermaid? No, a merman, merboy..._

After getting over his initial surprise, Akihiko noticed that the poor thing was trembling. "Easy," he tried to reassure it, "I'm not going to hurt you." He took a step towards it, intending to help escape from the net, but it seemed to panic and raised its arms in self defense.

Akihiko gasped. There were three long gashes that looked like claw marks down the merboy's (as he had decided to call it temporarily) left arm.

He backed away slowly with his arms in the air to show that he meant no harm. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked cautiously. When there was no answer, he sighed. "Can you even understand me?"

The merboy looked up slowly, showing a pair of glowing green eyes that had previously been obscured by his mop of brown hair. Akihiko was stunned. _Are those his eyes...?_ If so, they were even deeper and richer than he remembered. The boy nodded after a moment.

"Can you talk?" Akihiko asked.

"U-uhh, yessir," a timid voice replied so softly Akihiko almost missed it.

Akihiko smiled slightly to try and reassure the stiff figure. "Here, let me help." He moved forward, avoiding making any sudden movements, and the boy shifted nervously as he approached. Akihiko gently untangled him from the net and stepped back. The boy shifted again and Akihiko realized that the other was about to jump overboard and return to the water. But he couldn't let him go, not yet after seeing those beautiful green eyes. He stopped him with a quick, "Wait!" as he gripped the thin wrist. The merboy looked at him in fear and surprise, yanking his hand away.

"I... can treat your wounds, you know," Akihiko said.

The brunette eyed him suspiciously, his eyes narrowing. Akihiko sighed.

"If you really don't trust me, you can go. But I promise you that I mean no harm. Besides, whatever hurt you might still be down there."

The green eyes looked to the sky, then down at the water, thinking.

"I am willing to help, if you take my offer."

"O-okay," the merboy said quietly. "U-umm, thank you."

"My pleasure."

"But... I have one condition."

Condition? Akihiko wondered. Is he in a position to be setting any? "What is it?"

"You have to return me to these waters before three days are up."

"Why?"

"..." The brown-haired boy looked down and refused to answer.

Akihiko sighed. "All right then, that's fine. What's your name?"

"Misaki Takahashi," the boy answered tentatively, his tail curling and uncurling. "W-what's yours?"

"Akihiko Usami," he answered with a slight smile. "Say, where you come from, do all boys have such cute names?"

"C-cute?" A slight flush appeared on otherwise pale cheeks and Akihiko found himself strangely drawn to it. "I... I don't know..."

"I like it. Can I call you Misaki?"

"O-okay, Usami-san." Akihiko didn't like the sound of that on the merboy's lips and frowned.

"No, don't call me that. It sounds too formal."

"But it is only proper since you are helping-"

"No. I am helping you as a friend, not a stranger, Misaki." Misaki's eyes widened a bit as he heard his name roll off Akihiko's tongue for the first time, and Akihiko swore he saw the starry sky within those gems.

"T-thank you, Akihiko-san."

"You can just drop the san."

"But that wouldn't be right! It's already too familiar!"

"Then come up with something else."

Misaki's eyes widened again, to Akihiko's enjoyment. "Eh?! Umm..." he thought for a bit then blushed. "Can I call you... Usagi...san, maybe?" he asked hopefully.

Akihiko looked at him in surprise. "Why rabbit?"

Misaki looked away, embarrassed. "I don't know many animals out of the water... and for some reason you remind me of one..."

Akihiko laughed in genuine amusement. "That will do, then."

* * *

**Thanks for reading... I have already written a lot of the story whilst procrastinating on homework, so I will probably update this soon.**

**Also, if anyone follows the partner series to Junjou Romantica (Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi), I subbed a BL CD for the Domestica couple a while ago. It is available for your listening pleasure on YouTube here ;) /watch?v=eAsFb0JJYj0**

**Thankiesssss :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**i was able to update faster than i anticipated because procrastination on schoolwork leads to productivity on fanfiction, i guess x)**

* * *

He maneuvered the boat to shore and brought it in, parking it in the waters beside a small house. Misaki eyed it curiously. "Is this where you live?"

"No. I'm only staying here temporarily."

"Oh." Suddenly, Misaki found himself lifted into the air by a pair of strong arms and made a sound of surprise. "Wahhh! What are you doing?!"

"I'm taking you inside to treat your wounds. You can't walk, right?"

"Umm..." the brunette muttered, embarrassed that he had to be carried. "Sorry."

"What are you apologizing for? It's fine. I don't mind and you're really light." Akihiko's voice trailed off so that Misaki barely heard the words he mumbled at the end, "and I like holding you."

_What the hell does that mean?_ he wondered as the silver-haired man carried him like a princess into his living space.

Akihiko set him down on a blanket and hurriedly gathered together some first-aid supplies, bandaging his wound.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I'm not very good at this."

"I-it's okay," Misaki reassured him. "Thank you for helping me…"  
Akihiko smiled at him warmly and Misaki noticed for the first time the deep violet hue of his eyes. "You're welcome."

Misaki shivered as Akihiko's hands brushed over him, attending to his wound. The silver-haired man noted this and asked, "What's wrong? Are you cold?" _He is naked, after all._

"No, it's actually quite warm… but your hands are cold."

Akihiko smirked slightly. "Sorry, but you'll have to deal with it for a bit."

"It's fine. It was just unexpected." Akihiko looked up from his attentions and suddenly noticed that Misaki's cheeks were pink. _Cute…_

After a while, Akihiko leaned back. There were a couple of other gashes on the boy's skinny body that had made him wince in sympathy as he saw them, and he had carefully dressed them all. He gave the boy a bag of ice. "Keep this on them if it hurts. It will help to numb the pain."

"Thanks." Misaki accepted the bag and pressed it to his arm. "I don't know how to repay you…"

"You don't have to do anything," Akihiko replied.

"But still…"

"Don't worry about it." Misaki shifted uncomfortably and Akihiko sighed.

"Stubborn."

"What? Me?"

"Yeah. You're the only one I could be talking about."

"...!" Misaki looked at him indignantly and Akihiko laughed.

"Well, if you really want to do something for me, you could answer some questions."

"Umm, okay," Misaki said nervously. "What kind of questions?"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, so stop being all tense around me."

"S-sorry." Akihiko patted the boy's silky hair.

"Seriously, don't worry. I won't force you to do anything, so just relax for today. You've been through enough." He picked the boy up again, and Misaki put his arms around his neck to stabilize himself. The arms withdrew quickly and Akihiko almost chuckled when he saw the embarrassment that made itself visible on Misaki's cheeks.

"I'm taking you to bed now so you can sleep." He gently set the mass in his arms on the sheets and he watched as Misaki unfurled from the ball he'd curled into upon being set down.

"It's really soft," Misaki said in admiration, stretching out. Akihiko took the bed sheets and drew them over his form, tucking him in.

"You can sleep. I'll order food tomorrow, but it's late right now so just rest."

"Mm…" Misaki was asleep in the bed before Akihiko even left the room.

The next morning, Akihiko ordered breakfast and delivered it himself to Misaki's room. The merboy was already awake, examining his surroundings curiously. He eyed the plate Akihiko held out before him.

"Is this for me?"  
"Yes. I ordered plain omelette, since I don't know what you eat."

Misaki looked at it thoughtfully. "I've never had that, but I suppose if you can eat it I can too."

"If you don't like it, don't force yourself."

Misaki glanced at the utensils Akihiko was holding out to him. "What's this?"

"You use them to eat." Akihiko demonstrated with his own plate, sitting down at the edge of Misaki's bed.

"Ah, okay." Misaki handled them pretty well for his first time, and took a bite of the omelette. "This is good," he said, awe in his voice.

Akihiko laughed. "I'm glad. I enjoy it too, since it's commoner's food."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Eat up and enjoy. If you need anything, just ask."

"Y-yeah. Thank you, Usagi-san."

"You're welcome," he said, flashing a brief smile at the boy before he left the room.

He waited an hour for the boy to finish, not wanting to rush him, although he was too eager to see him again. He reentered the room and found that the dish had been wiped clean of the food that was on it. Misaki looked at him in question.

"Did… you want something?"

"Right," Akihiko said. "I wanted to ask you a few questions."

"G-go ahead."

"No need to be nervous. Don't answer if it makes you too uncomfortable."

"Alright."

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

Akihiko frowned. _I'm twenty-two, but I was eight when I was pushed by Haruhiko… so he was only five then? _"Are you a good swimmer?"

Misaki looked offended. "Of course!"

Akihiko chuckled. "But there's one thing I really want to know…" he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"When you were younger, do you remember helping a human in the ocean?"

Misaki's eyes widened. "I… helped someone once, because I ventured too far to the coast, and I found one of them… a human. My brother always told me to stay away from them, but I didn't listen, because it looked like he was going to die…" he looked down. "He was so small, even though he was bigger than me… I figured he couldn't hurt me, so I tried to take him to shore, but there were three bigger humans coming and I had to leave him and run before I got too far in. I… I don't know if he survived, I was too scared to look back… I was hoping the other humans would get to him instead."

Akihiko gulped.

"Usagi-san, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Misaki." He hugged the small form in front of him as he was reminiscing and Misaki stiffened in surprise.

"Usagi-san?"

"Misaki," he breathed into Misaki's ear. "Thank you."

"Hm? For what? I should be the one thanking you."

"No," Akihiko said, his face buried in Misaki's neck. "Thank you for saving me that time."

"You…" Misaki started in wonder, "you're the one…? You're alive?"

"Thanks to you." Akihiko leaned back, staring into Misaki's eyes. A tuft of brown hair was draped in front of his face and Akihiko brushed it away, leaning closer until their foreheads bumped. He heard the sharp intake of breath from the other and leaned forward, meeting Misaki's lips.

"Mmph!" Misaki froze as Akihiko gently caressed his mouth with his own, his arms reaching around to embrace the boy who was shaking so timidly. The kiss was slow and relaxed, and after a moment Akihiko's tongue darted out to wipe across Misaki's closed lips, asking for permission. The younger boy regained his composure and shoved Akihiko away, a wild panic in his eyes.

_I shouldn't have done that, _Akihiko instantly regretted as he saw Misaki's expression.

"W-w-wha…why…?" Misaki stuttered terribly but Akihiko only found it cute.

"It was just a kiss," Akihiko muttered. _I didn't even get to do anything. Why is he so flustered?_

"But…" Misaki looked troubled.

_Did he hate it or something? _"What's wrong, Misaki?"

"That…you…" His cheeks grew rosy as he touched his lips. "You! You stole…" he trailed off, unable to finish.

Akihiko stared at him in disbelief. _No way… _"That was your first?"

Misaki blushed deeper, averting his gaze. Akihiko took his hand in his and kissed it, causing Misaki's gaze to dart back to him. "What are you doing?!"

"I'm glad I could be your first," he whispered, before turning and quickly leaving the room. Misaki was left on the bed, bewildered and blushing.

_Damn it, _Akihiko thought. _Why did I have to go and do that? On sudden impulse… and I usually don't even like to kiss women, either. _He stopped for a moment. _But, I've finally found him… those eyes…_

* * *

**i hope you enjoyed this chapter! more coming soon. and thank you for the reviews :)**


	3. Chapter 3

They ate dinner together and Akihiko had to carry him to the dining room. Misaki eyed the food in amazement.

"Is this all for us?"

"Yeah, I had it ordered specially."

"T-thank you." Akihiko was glad that Misaki seemed to have calmed down since their previous encounter.

"You're welcome. If you don't like anything, just leave it."

"Okay." Misaki dug into his food hungrily and Akihiko observed him.

"There's not much to do around here, sorry. It's just a hotel room."

"Hotel?"

"A place that you can stay in temporarily."

"Ah." Akihiko was curious about the gaps in Misaki's vocabulary, but decided to ask about it later - there were much more interesting things to talk about. He watched contentedly for a while as Misaki sampled the different foods on the table, all of them new to him.

Finally, Misaki looked up. "Umm, Usagi-san?"

"Hm?'

"Are you going to eat?"

"I've already eaten."

"Oh." Misaki looked down at his plate. "Y-you don't have to stay here if you have something else to do."

"No," Akihiko replied, "I like watching Misaki."

"Oh," Misaki said again. He finished his meal in silence as Akihiko observed him and then eyed him nervously. "Uhhh… c-could…"

"Did you want me to carry you back?"

Misaki nodded and Akihiko complied, easily scooping up the other in his arms. He was careful to avoid bumping any of the boy's wounds as he held him, marveling at how light he was and how perfectly he seemed to settle there.

Back in Misaki's temporary room, Akihiko paused. "Do you want to some books to read or something?"

"Eh?" Misaki looked away. "Umm... I can't read."

"What?!" Akihiko exclaimed in surprise. Misaki winced at his reaction. "Sorry, I just... didn't expect that." _I can teach you to read, _he was about to offer, before remembering that Misaki had to return to the sea shortly. He felt a sinking pit in his stomach.

Akihiko felt a small hand on his arm. "Are you okay, Usagi-san?" The boy's green eyes were tilted up at him in concern.

"Fine," he lied, smiling. _It's not that big of a deal, he's just a... boy I met two days ago,_ he chided himself. _Don't feel so disappointed when you knew he was going to leave._

Misaki frowned, as if seeing through that statement, but made no further comment.

To draw the attention elsewhere, Akihiko cleared his throat. "So, there are still some things I'd like to know, and I'm sure you have questions as well. Ask me anything you'd like."

"Oh! Uh, w-what do you like to do in your free time?"

Silver brows rose in surprise. "Of all things, that's what you ask?"

"What? It's a question," Misaki retorted.

"I like to write."

"Oh. About what?"

"A lot of different things," Akihiko mused, "Sometimes I write about love and romance, or mystery, or the more contemplative slice-of-life kind of story."

"I'm sorry I can't read," Misaki said quietly. "It would be nice if you could read one to me before I go."

"I'd like that," Akihiko said with a sad smile. "But now it's my turn to ask a question."

"Okay."

Akihiko thought for a moment. _I intended to ask him things about where he came from, what it's like to live underwater, how it is possible for him to survive up here and down there… but now, I really just want to know about him. _"What about you? What do you like to do in your spare time?"

"Hmm," Misaki said. "I can't read, but I like to look at manga. I also spend a lot of time cooking for our tribe. What's your favorite color?"

The older man really had to think about this one. Previously, he'd have said, _I don't have one, _but looking into the azure depths of the ocean had given him a newfound respect for the swirling colors that overlapped there. Additionally, the turquoise hues of the scales of Misaki's tail also captivated his sight… but of those colors, was there one he could call favorite? He looked the unknowing Misaki up and down, and finally settled on the shimmering viridescence of Misaki's eyes. "Green," he said decisively, "but only a very particular variation of it."

Those eyes looked at him in question, slightly confused. "Hm?"

"My favorite color is the green of Misaki's eyes." He'd predicted the crimson shade of Misaki's face as the younger heard his answer, and he decided he also liked that color as well.

"Uh-h," Misaki stuttered, "t-thanks."

Akihiko smirked. "You're welcome." _Now, what to ask… _After a moment, he decided there was nothing wrong with asking what had been on his mind the entire time. "Why do I have to bring you back?"

"You already made the deal! You can't take it back!" Misaki said frantically, panicking. Akihiko leaned forward to rub small circles into his back and release some of his tension.

"Relax, Misaki. I told you I'd bring you back, and I will." Misaki sighed in relief, leaning back against the other man.

"Why did you say that then?"

"Because… I was wondering why you have to go."

The boy bit his lip. "Because if I am out of the water for more than three days, I will lose my fins... and become like you." He nodded at Akihiko's legs.

"Would that be so bad?"

"W-well, my brother lives down there, so..."

"You must love him a lot, then."

Misaki nodded. "Y-yeah. We lost our parents when we were young due to a siren…"  
Akihiko frowned. "A siren?"

"Umm… they prey on us who live in the water if we are not careful. They're intelligent, and they like to play with with their food before they eat it… it's so cruel. I was actually running from one before you saved me-"

"Oh." Akihiko stroked Misaki's soft hair, hugging him. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay… we've managed. My brother cares about me a lot, since we are our only family. I'm happy I still have him. He's probably worried about me right now…"

Akihiko didn't want to be reminded that Misaki had to return to the ocean. He was struck with a sudden desire to force him to stay by his side, so they could spend more time together. And maybe, just maybe, Misaki might come to fall for him. _It's strange… but, maybe it's not all that much. Do I love him? _He had been taken in by it all - the boy's kindness and his sweetness, how easily he was embarrassed… it had been less than two days since the boy he'd been looking for had fallen inexorably into his grasp, and since then he'd learned a lot about the boy, most fascinatingly that he was something other than human. _Something more than human, even… _He didn't care about whether Misaki was human or not, but at some point he really wanted to be able to…

No. He couldn't think of that, not while he was holding the boy in his arms, the boy who was so sweetly leaning against him for support. But he desperately wanted to. _I don't even know if he can feel that kind of love towards me, since he's not human, _he thought sadly. _Think about this later, _he scolded himself, withdrawing from Misaki who looked up at him with watery eyes. _Is he about to cry?_

"I'm sorry," Misaki said.

"What?" Akihiko asked blankly. "Why?"

"Because, you've done all this for me, and I'm just being selfish and talking about myself, and-"

"It's alright, I like hearing about Misaki."

"No, but I can tell that I make you sad."

At this Akihiko jerked away. "What are you talking about?"

"Whenever I talk to you, you always end up looking away, you become so distant… and your face is so sad. I feel bad for making you put up with me for so long, since you helped me so much…"

"That's not it at all, Misaki."

"Then… what?"

"I don't want you to go," he replied simply. He grasped Misaki's hands. "Misaki, stay with me."

"Huh?"

"Stay with me," Akihiko repeated. "Become a human. You can live with me, I'll take care of you and teach you everything. I'll provide for you and give you everything you've ever wanted…I have a beautiful house that I would love for you to see."

"Oh…"

"I have become accustomed to your company in this short time… and I don't want you to leave."

"I have to, Usagi-san."

"I know. I understand. But even so, I wish you didn't have to." Misaki saw that he was not lying, because as the older man spoke his face grew sad. Misaki felt a pang in his heart, knowing he was the cause.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, it's okay." But Misaki saw right through him and the pain he was feeling, knowing in his heart that it was certainly not okay. _I don't want to leave you either…_

"I can try and come back," Misaki said.

Akihiko looked up. "Really?"

"Y-yeah, next year when the tides are even…"

He looked crestfallen again. "Next year?"

"Our tribe wanders from shore to shore. We will probably be back next year."

_Probably? _Akihiko thought, his heart sinking even lower. _I probably won't ever see him again… _"Oh."

Misaki wanted to comfort the man before him, who had been so kind to him over the past few days, but he couldn't think of anything to say.

That night, Misaki couldn't fall asleep. He twisted around in his bed, but his troubled heart wouldn't let him rest. All he could think about was Akihiko's expression as he realized that their parting would most likely be permanent.

_It's not my fault! _he told himself, _I have to go back to see nii-chan…_

"I don't want to leave him," he said softly, burying his head under the warm covers. "But I can't leave nii-chan either…" As he thought about his brother, he realized that his brother had always wanted him to go and live a life away from the tribe, to escape and find a mermaid and have children. Then he asked himself a question that really left him wondering what he was doing. _Would nii-chan really mind if I stayed up here… as long as he knew I was okay? _Misaki's head was beginning to hurt from all of his thinking and before he knew it, he was asleep.

* * *

**i hope you enjoyed this chapter's update! i know stuff is moving a bit fast, but... three days... *sighs* i am an impatient writer**

**thanks for the kind words ;3 *groans* now back to homework...**

**reviews are greatly appreciated! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry, it's been a while :P but school and art has been keeping me busy urgggg. Thanks for the reviews! duchessme, that's actually a really good idea... but you will see what happens xD**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

* * *

The next day, Akihiko barely spoke to Misaki, but the green-eyed merboy could easily tell that he was upset. He brought Misaki food and checked his wounds, evading eye contact and leaving the room as quickly as possible. _I have to let go, _he scolded himself. _I'm not a child. What's wrong with me? I haven't even known him for three days. _Yet despite his admonishing words to himself, he couldn't bring himself to think about Misaki and the gap in his heart only became wider, even as the day grew longer.

The one time he did look at the merboy he made sure that the other did not notice. He watched with solemn eyes as the brunette stared out the window of his room at the sea and the setting sun with a longing look on his face. Akihiko thought sadly to himself, _He really does want to leave, doesn't he? I can't hold him back… not if I know he would forever look with those eyes towards his home._

As night approached, the silver-haired man grudgingly brought the merboy to the ocean in his boat. Although Akihiko wouldn't look at him, he did ask, "Are you sure you're okay? The siren is not here anymore?"

"No, he left after you came," Misaki said softly, looking at the water. For a while they stayed there in the boat together silently, and finally Misaki whispered, "I'm sorry."

Akihiko finally looked at him in regret, wishing that rather than sulking he had spent his last moments with him gazing into the depths of his beautiful eyes rather than avoiding them. He was taken aback when he saw the tears falling from Misaki's eyes.

"I'm sorry…" Misaki repeated over and over. Akihiko was unable to reply. Suddenly, the merboy moved towards the edge of the boat, and Akihiko could do nothing but watch in despair. Misaki took out a piece of paper in a bottle filled with rocks and threw it into the waters below, watching it sink down slowly. "I'm sorry, nii-chan…"

Akihiko blinked. "Misaki, what are you doing?"

Misaki wouldn't look at him, gazing instead into the waters below. "Nii-chan, where are you?"

The ocean below him seemed to part and a merman with dark blue hair and eyes emerged from within its depths, rising to the surface. "Misaki?"

"Nii-chan!" Misaki said, reaching out to hug the figure that hovered halfway out of the water.

"Where have you been? I've been so worried!" his brother laughed, returning the hug firmly.

"I was attacked by sirens," Misaki said. His brother's joyous expression turned worried. "What? Are you injured? How did you get away?"

"This is Akihiko Usami-san. He has taken care of me and treated my wounds."

"Hello, Usami-san. Thank you for taking such good care of my brother. My name is Takahiro Takahashi."

"My pleasure," Akihiko replied, shaking the hand extended to him. The man before him had a much longer tail and broader chest. His eyes and hair were a deep sparkling blue, and if Akihiko were to describe his presence, he'd say it was… _regal. _He noted how Misaki looked towards his older brother with trusting eyes, and how the other returned that gaze steadily, protectively.

"I really do appreciate it. However, Misaki must return now; it has already been too long." Takahiro grasped his brother's arm strongly, pulling him into the water.

"Wahhh! Nii-chan, wait a moment!" Misaki said, flailing to try and stay in the boat.

Takahiro's eyes narrowed and flashed warningly. "Come on, Misaki. The tribe is ready to migrate and we should get going. Not to mention the fact that your time is almost up."

"Nii-chan, I didn't call you here to get me, because I could have gone there myself," Misaki said softly. "I wanted to ask you…" Akihiko's eyes widened. _Maybe, just maybe…_

"What is it, Misaki?" his brother asked, brows furrowed. Misaki took a deep breath.

"I want to stay with Usami-san, if that's alright with you." Akihiko's heart stopped. _He really said it…_

"Misaki, have you thought about this?"

"Yes," Misaki said, meeting his brother's firm gaze. He knew that his brother would definitely not accept his answer if he wavered.

Takahiro sighed. "What to do, what to do… I suppose you could…"

"You always wanted me to split off from the tribe… I know this is not what you meant, but…"

"Misaki…"

"Please…"

Takahiro looked at the sun, which was steadily disappearing below the horizon. "Misaki," he said, "You can always make this decision later. But if you make this decision now, you will never be able to return…"

Akihiko looked at the brunette, masking all the emotions he was feeling. He opened his mouth to agree, despite the fact that he desperately wanted the other to stay, but Misaki frowned. "Our tribe is leaving, so this is really the only time I have."

His brother sighed, obviously troubled, but he replied slowly, "If you are completely sure you will not regret your decision, you may stay."

"Nii-chan!" Misaki said, his eyes misting. "Thank you… I will visit you…"

"I will try to visit you too. I'll come around here next March, if you are really sure that you are staying…"

"I am," Misaki whispered, giving his brother one last hug. "Thank you."

"Goodbye, Misaki," Takahiro said. He looked at Akihiko, who had been frozen in place the whole time, completely transfixed. "Usami-san, watch over my brother, will you?"

"Of course. I'll take good care of him."

"Thank you… goodbye, Misaki…" Takahiro sank back into the water, leaving Akihiko and Misaki alone over the ocean waters once again as the sun finally disappeared. They sat there in silence until Akihiko spoke.

"Your brother… he's very different from you…"

"I know," Misaki said softly, still not meeting his gaze. Akihiko moved across the small space between them and lifted Misaki's chin to look at him.

"I'm sorry."

"I-it's okay. It was my decision." He enveloped Misaki's thin frame with his arms, feeling the merboy's face in the crook of his neck.

"Misaki, thank you so much… thank you for sacrificing this for me."

"It's okay, Usagi-san. I want it too." Misaki leaned back out of their embrace and smiled, and it was the most radiantly beautiful thing in the world to Akihiko.

* * *

Back in his private branch of the hotel, Akihiko carried Misaki to his room. "So, what happens now? How does this whole… becoming a human business work?"

"U-umm," Misaki said, "I don't really know how it works, but I remember there was a girl who went through it by accident... she fell asleep and didn't wake up for a whole day and when she woke, her tail was gone."

"So it happens while you sleep?"

"Probably. My tail feels itchy…"

"Hm?" Akihiko set Misaki down on his bed.

Misaki yawned. "I already feel drowsy."

Akihiko stroked some wet strands of hair out of Misaki's face, kissing his forehead. He turned to leave but a small hand tugging on his shirt halted him in his tracks and he turned to see Misaki clutching at the hem of it. "What is it?"

"I'm not going to sleep just yet, s-so could you read one of your stories to me until I fall asleep?" Misaki implored shyly.

Akihiko smiled down at the face the pillows. "Of course." Selecting a book from the bookshelf, he took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Is this one okay?"

"Sure."

"Then I'll begin." The author took a deep breath and spoke. "It was snowing that night. The earth was soft beneath his feet and the pine needles were littered about the forest floor as his boots crunched over the ground. There was a crude path that wound through the trees, but far from being manufactured it had simply been worn into the ground by the many feet that had trampled over it. He inhaled the cold wind as a figure approached him from the right, because even without looking he knew undoubtedly who that person was..."

The man continued on, his silky voice flowing into Misaki's ears. _It's almost like he's in a trance, _he thought wearily as the night wore on. Akihiko continued to read to the boy until he was positive that the other had fallen asleep, lulled into dreamland by the gilded words.

* * *

**Reviews are always appreciated! ;3 Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Aaaahhhhh sorry it's been a while! SCHOOOOOOOOL (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ **

* * *

The next morning Akihiko, for the first time ever, willingly woke up and roused himself fully in the early morning hours, sneaking in to check on Misaki.

Misaki awoke as he heard the door open. "Sorry. Did I wake you?" Akihiko asked gently as the brunette rubbed his eyes.

"No, it's okay. I would've gotten up anyway." Akihiko watched as Misaki sat up and he inched forwards cautiously, gesturing at the blanket.

"Can I?" he asked and the boy nodded in answer. He pulled at the sheets and gasped as they fell away. "Misaki..."

Where his aqua-colored tail had been before, there was now a pair of creamy, pale legs before him that seemed to glow with the same pearly light as the rest of his body. Akihiko smirked as his eyes travelled up to Misaki's crotch, where he now sported a perfectly proportioned length. Completely unaware, Misaki shifted nervously under his gaze. The bed was littered with the sparkling scales that he had shed during the night.

"Sorry, I made a mess," he said, observing the sheets around him.

"It's completely fine," Akihiko said, his eyes still sweeping over Misaki's form.

"Um, i-is it okay?" the brunette asked shyly, curling his toes experimentally. "It feels weird..."

"It's perfect," Akihiko breathed in amazement. "You're perfect…" He couldn't resist placing a hand on Misaki's thigh, feeling the smooth surface under his fingers. _So soft,_ he admired.

Misaki shivered at his touch, blushing, and suddenly Akihiko wanted to feel more of him. He placed his hands on Misaki's waist, making the brunette lay back against the bed. Leaning down, he captured one of Misaki's exposed buds in his mouth as he ran his hands up and down Misaki's new limbs.

"Ahh, nn..." Misaki mewled softly, and at these noises the older man was possessed with a sudden urge to ravish Misaki. Drawing away from his chest, he spread Misaki's legs and began to rub at the boy's member, willing it to rise. "Ah!" Misaki cried out, his green eyes watering. "Ahh, no... Usagi-san… please stop..."

Akihiko was too overwhelmed with the sensation of finally being able to touch his Misaki to think of anything else until he leaned down to lick the tip of Misaki's hardening length. Misaki shuddered and his eyes shot open, renewing his protest. "No! U-Usagi-san, what are you doing?! Stop!"

Finally he looked up, spotting the fear in the eyes he so adored. "Misaki..."

"Wha... what is this? I don't understand..." he said.

Akihiko withdrew and pulled the sheets up again to cover up Misaki. "I'm sorry. I got carried away."

Misaki pulled the covers up around him tighter, looking at Akihiko with misted eyes. "I don't… what was that?" he asked in confusion. Akihiko's heart clenched slightly as it looked like Misaki was about to cry.

Akihiko sighed, not entirely sure of himself. "It's something humans do."

"W-what?"

"It's something we do as a show of intimacy… to the person we love."

Misaki's eyes grew large as Akihiko admitted this and he began to stammer. "Y-you l-lo… love m-me?"

Akihiko looked straight at him. "Yes, Misaki. I love you." It was the first time he admitted it out loud to himself or anyone else, but he had known in his mind over the past couple of days that it was true.

"I…" Misaki looked away, unable to bear the intense look of adoration Akihiko was directing at him.

"It's okay. I can give you time." Akihiko left the room feeling a bit disappointed, but in his heart he was soaring because he knew that Misaki hadn't rejected him. _It may take him some time to say it back, but… we have all the time in the world now._

* * *

After some time, Akihiko heard a crash coming from the adjacent room and a yelp of pain. "Misaki!" he cried in panic, opening the door. Misaki was a heap on the floor, tangled with the bed sheets. Green eyes looked up at him sheepishly.

"S-sorry, I tried to walk... but I don't really know how yet..."

Akihiko laughed, supporting him as he tried to stand up.

"This is embarrassing, I'm so weak," Misaki said, flushing.

"It's normal. It won't take you long to learn, anyway." Akihiko smiled encouragingly and he felt boundlessly happy when Misaki gave him a small smile back. "Here, like this… it becomes more natural if you don't think about it…" He held his hands out, ready to catch the brunette in case he fell. Misaki unsteadily took a few steps forward, tightly gripping Akihiko's arm for support. After he reached the door he seemed to catch on a bit faster, releasing the other's arm and trying to walk on his own, until he wobbled and fell backward, landing in Akihiko's outstretched arms.

He blushed brightly as he laid on the man's chest, apologizing quickly. "S-sorry! I'm really not used to it, it's weird having to think about both at the same time and I-"

"Shhh," Akihiko hushed, falling into his habit of rubbing small circles in the boy's back to comfort him. "It's completely fine. Don't expect to be good at it right away."

"But you make it look so easy," Misaki muttered.

"That's because I've been doing it all this time and I was born this way. So seriously, don't worry about it. You're doing great." Akihiko leaned down to place a chaste kiss on Misaki's forehead. The boy's face flushed, but to Akihiko's delight there were no objections.

"Thank you," Misaki whispered as he got up to try again.

* * *

**sorry this chapter was kind of short :P lemon coming up in a couple of chapters xD**

**SaySaeri, well I suppose she was careless and forgot about the limit :/ not such a smart thing to do... lol  
**

**Anyway, I hope this one was okay. :P if you have time, drop a review! Thankiesss :D  
**


End file.
